Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>KT Corp (030200 KS)'s shares were up 4.1% today to 32,000 won driven by better than expected results in 2Q 2023 and the nomination of a new CEO. </li>
<li>KT has nominated Kim Young-Seop, the former CEO of LG CNS as the new CEO of the company.</li>
<li>KT Corp has attractive valuations. It is trading at only 2.6x EV/EBITDA, 6.7x P/E, and 0.5x P/B in 2023. These valuation multiples are much cheaper than SK Telecom.</li>
</ul>


KT Corp (030200 KS)'s shares were up 4.1% today to 32,000 won driven by better than expected results in 2Q 2023 and the nomination of a new CEO. 
KT has nominated Kim Young-Seop, the former CEO of LG CNS as the new CEO of the company.
KT Corp has attractive valuations. It is trading at only 2.6x EV/EBITDA, 6.7x P/E, and 0.5x P/B in 2023. These valuation multiples are much cheaper than SK Telecom.


KT Corp: A New CEO Nominated and Stronger Than Expected Results in 2Q 2023

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The changes to the LQ45/IDX30 were announced last week and will be implemented Monday. The PSE also announced that there would be no changes for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/philippines-stock-exchange-psei-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22912:1" rel="noopener">PCOMP INDEX</a> in August.</li>
<li>There are a bunch of review cutoffs on Monday, most notably for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sse-science-and-technology-innovation-board-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29279:1" rel="noopener">STAR50 INDEX</a>, the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nifty-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23617:1" rel="noopener">NIFTY</a> family of indices and the KRX New Deal indices.</li>
<li>There were inflows to China focused ETFs and outflows from Taiwan and Korea focused ETFs during the week.</li>
</ul>


The changes to the LQ45/IDX30 were announced last week and will be implemented Monday. The PSE also announced that there would be no changes for the PCOMP INDEX in August.
There are a bunch of review cutoffs on Monday, most notably for the Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX), STAR50 INDEX, the NIFTY family of indices and the KRX New Deal indices.
There were inflows to China focused ETFs and outflows from Taiwan and Korea focused ETFs during the week.


Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: LQ45/IDX30, FXI, New Deal, KOSPI, KQ150, LG Energy, IN Float, TTMT

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>On 27 July, SK Telecom announced a sizeable share buyback worth 300 billion won (including shares cancellation of 200 billion won) and quarterly dividend of 181 billion won. </li>
<li>SK Telecom will pay a quarterly DPS of 830 won, which represents 1.8% of its current price of 45,900 won. </li>
<li>SK Telecom is trying to boost its share price which has been negatively impacted by the regulators' pressure to cut telecom tariff rates and also increase competition. </li>
</ul>


On 27 July, SK Telecom announced a sizeable share buyback worth 300 billion won (including shares cancellation of 200 billion won) and quarterly dividend of 181 billion won. 
SK Telecom will pay a quarterly DPS of 830 won, which represents 1.8% of its current price of 45,900 won. 
SK Telecom is trying to boost its share price which has been negatively impacted by the regulators' pressure to cut telecom tariff rates and also increase competition. 


SK Telecom - Major Share Buyback & Cancellation

<ul>
<li>JFSL spun off from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/reliance-industries-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:198:1" rel="noopener">Reliance Industries (RIL IN)</a> last week and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ventia-services-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:34917:1" rel="noopener">Ventia (VNT AU)</a> replaced <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/blackmores-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:928:1" rel="noopener">Blackmores Ltd (BKL AU)</a> in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-asx-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22901:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P/ASX 200 (AS51 INDEX)</a>. </li>
<li>The IDX should announce the changes to the IDX30, LQ45 and IDX80 indices early in the coming week.</li>
<li>There were inflows to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tracker-fund-of-hong-kong-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29257:1" rel="noopener">Tracker Fund of Hong Kong Ltd (2800 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-china-enterprises-index-etf" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng H Share Index ETF (2828 HK)</a> while Taiwan focused ETFs had outflows.</li>
</ul>


JFSL spun off from Reliance Industries (RIL IN) last week and Ventia (VNT AU) replaced Blackmores Ltd (BKL AU) in the S&amp;P/ASX 200 (AS51 INDEX). 
The IDX should announce the changes to the IDX30, LQ45 and IDX80 indices early in the coming week.
There were inflows to Tracker Fund of Hong Kong Ltd (2800 HK) and Hang Seng H Share Index ETF (2828 HK) while Taiwan focused ETFs had outflows.


Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: ASX, SK Telecom, Yuanta ETFs

<ul>
<li>Foreign investors have been selling <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-telecom-co-ltd-bbccd86c-474d-4a4d-946d-10e911a225a2" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:395:1" rel="noopener">SK Telecom (017670 KS)</a> for over a year now. That has taken foreign room from near zero to close to 15% now.</li>
<li>That could mean index inclusion for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-telecom-co-ltd-bbccd86c-474d-4a4d-946d-10e911a225a2" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:395:1" rel="noopener">SK Telecom (017670 KS)</a> with timing dependent on when the 15% foreign room threshold is crossed.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-telecom-co-ltd-bbccd86c-474d-4a4d-946d-10e911a225a2" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:395:1" rel="noopener">SK Telecom (017670 KS)</a> has performed in line with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kt-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1112:1" rel="noopener">KT Corp (030200 KS)</a> but trades at higher valuations on most parameters.</li>
</ul>


Foreign investors have been selling SK Telecom (017670 KS) for over a year now. That has taken foreign room from near zero to close to 15% now.
That could mean index inclusion for SK Telecom (017670 KS) with timing dependent on when the 15% foreign room threshold is crossed.

SK Telecom (017670 KS) has performed in line with KT Corp (030200 KS) but trades at higher valuations on most parameters.


SK Telecom (017670 KS): Foreign Room Increase Has Implications

South Korea

SK Telecom Co., Ltd. is a Korean mobile and telecommunications operator. The Company provides cellular voice, wireless data, and wireless internet services. SK Telecom also offers fixed line services and platform services.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

SK Telecom (017670 KS)

KT Corp: A New CEO Nominated and Stronger Than Expected Results in 2Q 2023

KT Corp (030200 KS)'s shares were up 4.1% today to 32,000 won driven by better than expected results in 2Q 2023 and the nomination of a new CEO.

Douglas Kim

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: LQ45/IDX30, FXI, New Deal, KOSPI, KQ150, LG Energy, IN Float, TTMT

This recap highlights Insights covering Asian index rebalances (announcements/ forecasts/ IPO Fast Entry/ M&A driven changes). We also highlight...

Brian Freitas

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: ASX, SK Telecom, Yuanta ETFs

This recap highlights Insights covering Asian index rebalances (announcements/ forecasts/ IPO Fast Entry/ M&A driven changes). We also highlight...

Brian Freitas